Rogue Titan
by Dacyon
Summary: The year is 2024, the eleventh year of the Kaiju War. As Jaegers continue to fall against the Kaiju, rumor is this will be the last year the Jaeger Academy is funded. For Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, both with strong ties to the Jaeger Program, this might be their only chance to avenge those they have lost in this apocalyptic war. Eremika romance, ambiguous Maleigh pairing.
1. Prologue

**A/N** – So, after seeing the _Attack on Titan_/_Pacific Rim_ cross-over stories, I felt inspiration to write one myself. It should be noted that this will be the first fanfiction I've ever written outside of the _Avatar: The Last Airbender_/_The Legend of Korra_ universe, so it should be an interesting ride for not only you readers, but me as well. That said – I hope I don't botch the characters of either universe in this story. I do plan on writing future stories for _Attack on Titan_, but I am unsure if I will ever write stories for _Pacific Rim_.

While the characters will obviously be both those of the _Attack on Titan_ universe and of the _Pacific Rim_ universe, the plot is set _entirely_ in the _Pacific Rim_ universe. References to the _Attack on Titan_ universe will be abundant however, and honestly, this will probably focus more on the _AoT_ characters than the canon-_Pacific Rim_ characters themselves.

The prologue I've written is kind of a crash course in the history of the Jaeger Program up to what happens in the beginning of the film. Much of the information about the origins of the Jaeger Program were revealed in the graphic novel, "_Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero_," and since I didn't know how many people had read that, I thought including a bit of summary here would be helpful. Especially because in this cross-over universe, with some of what I've altered, it will help lay the groundwork for why Eren so desperately wanted to join the Jaeger Program.

Now, according to Travis Beacham, the components in Jaeger names aren't repeated (revealed when asked about the Jaeger Tango Tasmania, which was mentioned in the novelization of the film; since "Tango" was already used in Coyote Tango, Tango Tasmania is not an accurate name). Now, for this story, I felt that Eren's Titan Form, dubbed "Rogue Titan" by fans, was just too good of a Jaeger name to pass up. Unfortunately, the Mark-3 Jaeger, "Shaolin Rogue," already exists. So, I'm just going to *cough* ignore *cough* that little aspect and work my around it. I'm considering using a synonym for "rogue," but the only one I've found even close to being happy with would be "savage," and I'm not sure how I feel about that one.

Also, I will be keeping Eren's last name 'Yeager' for two reasons. One, it is an Anglicized version of 'Jaeger,' which the _Shingeki no Kyojin _wiki states is "common amongst German migrants in the USA," and Eren is from California in this story. And two, it will help distinguish Eren in conversation and writing from the giant Jaeger mechs.

Anyways, this should be quite a ride! Thanks for checking this story out, I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer**: _Pacific Rim_ belongs to Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham; _Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)_ belongs to Hajime Isayama; I own nothing.

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**Prologue**

* * *

_"We _needed_ a new weapon. The world came together, pooling its resources and throwing aside old rivalries for the sake of the greater good.  
To fight monsters, we created monsters of our own. The Jaeger Program was born." _

- Raleigh Becket

* * *

Sunday, March 24th, 2024 (Jaeger Academy, Kodiak Island, Alaska)

The man standing behind the podium stared out across the sea of hopeful applicants, largely those from the nations of the Pacific Rim, but others had traveled across the world to volunteer. It was not only a chance for some to help humanity in its war for survival, but for many it was a chance to help get a better life. Jaeger pilots were well-cared for and celebrated worldwide for their courage and astonishing abilities; some let it go to their heads like Australia's Chuck Hansen while others were humbled by the experience like Chuck's father, Herc.

Clearing his throat, the blond-haired man leaned forward and tapped the microphone before him. The massive auditorium went silent far quicker than it had in the past. Despite the large number of applicants to the Jaeger Academy this year, the gathered hopefuls were a far cry from the enormous classes of years past. A combination of Jaeger defeats both the year prior and this year had lessened peoples' interest in joining up; in addition, the United Nations had begun moving funds away from the Jaeger Program and more towards the Anti-Kaiju Wall. Rumors abound that if not sometime this year, then the year after the U.N. would withdraw support from the Jaeger Program completely.

The crowd waited with baited breath as the man's blue gaze traveled from one side of the room to the other, seemingly taking in everyone's faces in an instant. Speaking into the microphone, the man began, "I'd like to begin by quoting Marshal Stacker Pentecost – 'This isn't summer camp.' The majority of you in this room probably won't make the first cut. And out of those of you who do manage to survive to the end, only a few will become Jaeger pilots. The rest of you can decide if you want to enlist in other careers with the PPDC or you can return to living like cattle behind the Wall."

"And those of you that don't go back to chewing cud or aren't squashed beneath our heels, you will become humanity's warriors. You will be the legendary defense against forces that seek to eradicate mankind. You will become _hunters_." The man paused, allowing his words to sink in before ending his address with, "My name is Marshal Erwin Smith. Welcome to Kodiak Island, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Jaeger Academy."

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Monday, March 25th, 2024 (Jaeger Academy, Kodiak Island, Alaska)  
0800 Hours

The sound of note-taking supplies being prepared echoed throughout the lecture hall. The first of the eight-week trimesters at the Jaeger Academy had officially begun. The first semester consisted of Officer Training – beginning Jaeger Bushido, learning basic combat tactics, general kaiju science and engineering, and perhaps the most boring for many of the trainees – History of the Kaiju War and its battles. It wasn't necessarily boring to many because it was a history class – it was boring because everyone had lived through the whole eleven years of war against the creatures since their initial invasion.

At least the instructor could make the topic tolerable for many, largely thanks to his eccentric nature. "There are certain days throughout human history that will live in infamy," the instructor began, stroking his gray mustache, "One of those in most recent memory would be K-Day – August 10th, 2013. It was the day humanity learned the answer to perhaps our most burning question – are we alone in the universe?"

After pausing to take a drink from his signature circular flask, retired Army Colonel Dot Pixis continued his lecture, "The answer was a violent and resounding 'no,' as chaos itself seemingly laid waste to San Francisco in the form of a massive creature, which rose up from the depths of the Pacific, seemingly out of nowhere." Pixis leaned on his desk, crossing his legs and folding his arms across his chest, returning his flask to the inside of his jacket. "Not even the combined might of the American military and British Royal Air Force could stop the creature. Later named 'Trespasser,' it continued its rampage for six days, destroying not only San Francisco, but also Oakland, Hayward, San Mateo, and San Jose during its thirty-five mile journey."

A digital map appeared behind him, a large red circle appearing on the California coast as a marker of the cities Trespasser attacked. "It took not one, not two, but _three_ nuclear missiles to kill the Kaiju." Shaking his head as silent clips of the attack played next to the map, Pixis added, "And as we mourned the tens of thousands that were lost during the assault, we were naïve enough to think Trespasser was an anomaly."

As the clips changed, a second red dot appeared on the map, this time in the Philippines. "Six months later, on Februrary 5th, 2014, Hundun attack Manila. Yet again, it took a nuclear strike to kill the creature. Then, on June 1st, Kaiceph hit Cabo San Lucas." As the third circle glowed in Mexico and the well-known clip of Kaiceph's body being transported by the aircraft carrier USS _John C. Stennis_ scrolled behind him, Pixis joked, "Maybe he just wanted to party. Instead he got nuked. Either way he got wasted."

A couple chuckles were heard around the room, "On September 2nd of the same year, Scissure attacked Sydney." The eastern coast of Australia suddenly developed a red dot on the map, "It took two nuclear strikes to kill him." The video transitioned to a clip of the massive construction project in Sydney, "The Sydney-section of the Anti-Kaiju Wall actually runs through the city, dividing off the irradiated section where Scissure was killed."

"For generations, humanity destroyed itself in wars over race and ideology. My father firmly believed that if a powerful, external threat were to appear, such petty wars would stop and humanity would unite against it. I used to think my father naïve . . . and now look where we are. As the Kaiju continued in their attacks, we were forced to set aside old rivalries for the sake of preserving humanity and our accomplishments. While our _politicians_ might not be united with us, looking around this room," Pixis gestured by sweeping an arm outward towards the many students, "more or less, _humanity is_. And it's about time, if I do say so myself."

The video changed yet again, this time to the end of a famous speech by Marshal Pentecost as he pointed towards an image of Kaiceph, _"That's why we're here today. It's the __**only**__ question that matters - - What will it take to __**grab**__ this monster by the throat and __**drag**__ him back to hell?"_

"The 2014 Seoul Conference," Pixis stated, "held on September 15th in response to the continued attacks. Two men would have an answer to Pentecost's question – they're the reason the Jaegers exist today; the _reason _you're all here now. Anyone know who they were?"

A teenager in the middle of the room, with blonde hair and piercing, icy blue eyes raised her hand. At Pixis' nod, she spoke, "Sir, I was under the impression that Dr. Jasper Schoenfeld developed the idea for the Jaegers single-handedly."

Pixis smirked, "Well, Miss Leonhart, I'm afraid you're wrong." Glancing up at the rest of the class he asked, "Does anyone know who his partner was? The man everyone should know but never did?"

Another blond teenager, this one with a bowl-cut at the front of the class, raised his hand, his bright blue eyes shining. "Dr. Grisha Yeager?" Pixis noted the brunet boy beside the answering teen fidget at the name's mention.

The old man smiled, "Correct, Mr. Arlert." As the names and photos of both scientists appeared on the screen behind him, he asked, "Might I inquire as to how you know, while almost everyone outside of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps does not?"

The boy went silent as all but two pairs of eyes turned to look at him, which did not go unnoticed by Pixis. The boy stuttered, "I-I just did a lot of research into the subject. I found it interesting how they developed the idea."

The instructor mulled the response over for a few moments – the boy certain Pixis would see through his lie. While Pixis in fact knew the truth and the reason the teen had lied, he chose to respect the teen's answer – but did not let him off easy. "Alright, Mr. Arlert, since you found the idea so _fascinating_, why don't you explain it to the class?"

Armin Arlert smiled, both in relief and excitement over explaining the scientists' eureka moment. "During a family visit to the Schoenfeld's, Scissure attacked Sydney. While the adults could only watch the television in horror, Dr. Yeager saw his son and Dr. Schoenfeld's son playing with toys, making a toy monster battle a toy robot." He paused to draw a quick breath, "Yeager explained his idea to Schoenfeld, who, eager for publicity, took the idea to the Seoul Conference alone. Despite the seeming absurdity of constructing giant humanoid mechs to fight the Kaiju, Schoenfeld felt such constructs would have all the strength of a nuclear attack, but none of the destructive fall-out." Armin sighed, "Dr. Yeager never received any direct credit for his idea, although Schoenfeld gave the name 'Jaeger,' or German for 'hunter,' to the mechs." The instructor noticed the brunet sitting next to Armin seemed to grow increasingly agitated at the mention of Dr. Schoenfeld's actions.

Pixis appeared impressed, "Well, Mr. Arlert, it seems you know quite a bit." He gestured to his side, "Would you like to take over the class?"

"Uh, no, I-I couldn't, sir," Armin stuttered, shaking his head rapidly.

"Darn!" Pixis responded, a smile playing on his lips, "I'm getting too old for this – I was hoping I had found my successor." Armin chuckled uncertainly at the instructor's words. "Anyways, you're correct. Jasper Schoenfeld was a well-known scientist who had received bad publicity years prior for an affair with a student of his – he hoped proposing the idea for the Jaegers would help him back into the limelight." Sipping on his flask once again, he added, "It certainly did and he now lives quite comfortably in Big Sur, California after developing the Prototype Jaeger with his former lover, and developer of the pilot-Jaeger neural interface, Dr. Caitlin Lightcap." Gesturing towards Armin, he said, "Someone besides Mr. Arlert, tell me about the development of the first Jaeger and the complications surrounding it."

Continuing the streak of blond students raising their hands, Pixis pointed to the bulky man in the back with short hair and golden eyes. "Brawler Yukon was the first Mark-1 Jaeger, sir. U.S.A.F. Captain Adam Casey suffered a seizure attempting to pilot it alone, leading to his death. Lieutenant Sergio D'onofrio would have suffered the same fate if Dr. Lightcap had not joined him in the Drift."

"Correct, Mr. Braun." Spreading his arms wide, Pixis stated, "Thus, the solution to controlling the Jaegers was born. . ." Footage of Jaegers under construction flashed across the screen, "The connection developed as a result of their Drift led not only to their marriage, but Sergio and Caitlin D'onofrio became two of the greatest Jaeger pilots to ever live. Their first kill was the Kaiju Karloff when it attacked Vancouver on April 23rd, 2015."

A rather tall, black-haired man with green eyes raised his hand from beside Reiner Braun, sweating nervously, "Is that why all Jaegers require at least two pilots, sir?"

"It is indeed, Mr. Hoover. Each Jaeger typically requires a pilot to control each hemisphere of the 'brain' and to share the massive neural load. There have been exceptions – the Wei Tang triplets, Cheung, Hu, and Jin – pilot the Chinese Jaeger, Crimson Typhoon. While two of the brothers control the Jaeger's basic movements, the third acts as a 'gunner,' controlling Typhoon's weapons and third arm." Crossing his arms across his chest once again, Pixis continued, "Then there is the opposite case. In two separate occasions, two separate Jaegers have been piloted single-handedly. The first incident was the result of one pilot being rendered unconscious; the second was when one pilot was killed. The fact both pilots survived the strain of not only piloting a Jaeger, but fighting a Kaiju _alone_ is extraordinary."

A freckled, black-haired boy raised his arm, "Sir? How did those pilots manage to control a Jaeger alone while Captain Casey died from the neural overload?"

"An excellent question, Mr. Bott." Shrugging, Pixis replied, "We don't really know."

"That's helpful," the brunet beside Marco mumbled.

Ignoring him, Pixis once again resumed his lecture. "After the D'onofrios' first drift and successful demonstration of Brawler Yukon's abilities, the Defense Corps ordered the production of the first Jaegers. Their successful battle against Karloff only months later supported the PPDC's decision." A line-up of five Jaegers appeared on the digital screen behind him, "The first Jaegers, the Mark-1's," Pixis pointed towards the first in the line-up, "were all constructed here and started rolling out in 2015, taking fourteen months to build. The Mark-2's in 2016, the Mark-3's in 2017, and so on, until the first and only Mark-5 Jaeger, Strike Eureka, was constructed in 2019, at an estimated cost of over a hundred billion American dollars."

Each Jaeger's blueprints appeared briefly on the screen, many glowing red with the word 'Destroyed' appearing across it, "Casualties have always been a part of the Jaeger program – Captain Casey's death was but the first in what continues to be a long line of deaths and injuries, both physical and emotional, suffered by the numerous Rangers."

"Aren't Jaegers only supposed to be as good as their pilots, though?" The brunet beside Marco Bott spoke up once again.

Pixis addressed the French-German teen, his tone strained, "Mr. Kirschtein, are you implying that we have lost so many Jaegers simply because they were piloted by poor Rangers?"

Jean Kirschtein nodded, "If they were any good, they'd still be alive, am I right?"

The bald man walked up to the European teen's desk, placed his hands on either side of it, and leaned down until his face was only inches away from the brunet's. "And just how many Kaiju have _you_ fought, Mr. Kirschtein?" The teen opened his mouth to retort, only to close it and look away. "That's what I thought." Returning to his spot at the front of the room, he raised his voice, "I don't ever want to hear any of you ever speak about a Ranger with disrespect. Yes, sometimes the fame goes to their heads, but many have killed at least one Kaiju, if not more. I sure as hell can't say the same for any of you." Downing another shot of alcohol from his flask, the man's gaze traveled to a girl near Armin, "It's not always inexperience or hotheadedness that kills the pilots – though those have happened – sometimes it's simply up to chance."

The mangled remains of a Jaeger and Kaiju appeared on the screen, "Take the battle between Gipsy Danger and Knifehead for example. Brothers Yancy and Raleigh Becket had killed four Kaiju on previous missions – their downfall was not inexperience. It was a combination of both overconfidence and the Kaiju's increasing resilience to Jaeger attacks."

"Going against Marshal Pentecost's orders to hold the Miracle Mile off Anchorage, Gipsy Danger rescued the fishing vessel _Saltchuck_ at the 7-mile line. While the Beckets did successfully intercept Knifehead, they believed the three plasma-cannon blasts fired into its abdomen had killed it." Removing his flask once again, Pixis took his longest swig yet, emptying it of its precious alcohol. "Previous Category III Kaiju were easily killed with two or three blasts from a Plasmacaster, so the Beckets had every right to assume they had made a successful kill. However, they were overconfident and did not confirm if their attack was lethal. At the time of its emergence, Knifehead was the biggest Category III Kaiju we had encountered – its size allowed it to attack the Jaeger a second time despite its injuries." Pixis stared at Jean, "After Knifehead tore off Gipsy's left arm, Yancy Becket was killed by being literally ripped out of Gipsy's Conn-Pod, leaving Raleigh to fight the Kaiju _alone_." Jean's eyes widened at the man's words, "Raleigh managed to not only overcharge the remaining Plasmacaster and kill Knifehead, but he also piloted the Jaeger back to shore."

"The physical _and emotional_ injuries Raleigh suffered that day forced him to leave the Jaeger Program. He had literally felt his brother _die_. No one stopped him from leaving – he had suffered enough and felt he would never be able to Drift with anyone again, as he shared his deepest emotional bond with Yancy." Returning to his gaze to the dark-haired girl near Armin, he added, "It wasn't the first time we lost a Jaeger and its crew because of a Category III attack and it wasn't the last." Glancing at the clock, he clapped his hands together, his serious demeanor gone in a flash, "Well, that does it for today! Have fun with Commander Shadis!"

As the other trainees filed out of the lecture hall, Pixis walked up towards Armin and the two teens beside him, the easily-agitated brunet and silent raven-haired girl. "Mr. Arlert, Mr. Yeager, Miss Ackerman," he nodded towards each one of them in turn, "Welcome to the Jaeger Academy."

Armin beamed, "Thank you, sir!"

Eren Yeager turned his emerald gaze towards the older man, appearing almost annoyed, "How did you know who we were?"

Pixis chuckled, "You're my students _and_ the potential future saviors of humanity – I take it upon myself to know everyone who comes here." He paused, looking at each of them in turn once again, "Plus, I also had the opportunity to meet your parents and grandparents – remarkable people, each and every one of them."

The three different reactions Pixis received to his words told him everything he had heard and expected about the three teenagers before him. Armin smiled proudly, Eren's brow furrowed as he glanced to the side, and Mikasa simply pulled the scarlet scarf wrapped around her neck higher, covering the lower half of her face.

Sighing, Pixis decided that because two of the three were not feeling comfortable discussing their relatives, or discussing anything at all, he'd let them go. "Well, I don't want to keep you here. Keith has never been easy on the new recruits – especially if I've kept them late." He smiled, "I'll see you all tomorrow." As Pixis grabbed his flask to refill it, the three teens dashed out of the room, heading towards the Kwoon Combat Room. As the three friends hurried across the Academy complex, their minds wandered to the events that had brought them to their current situation and what their futures with the Jaeger Program might be, if any.

* * *

**A/N** - I plan on having a short chapter of backstory each for Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, as well as really short backstories for the other characters from the _Attack on Titan_ universe, either combined into a chapter of their own or interspersed throughout the story. After the major backstories for the _AoT _trio are written, the rest of the story will move in a largely linear direction, with flashbacks being rather short parts of this story.

*Updated info in next chapter.* - There will probably be a number of side-relationships in this story, pretty much entirely amongst the _AoT_ characters, but there might be a side-romance between an _AoT_ character and a _Pacific Rim_ character. The major romance of this story will be between Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, so rejoice Eremika fans! As for the relationship between Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, I like what happened in _Pacific Rim_ with the two sharing a platonic relationship; there aren't enough platonic relationships between leads in films (or television, *remembers the love triangle in _The Legend of Korra_ and its complications*, *shudders while simply wishing for solid friendships between main characters and not all romance*) these days, so it was refreshing to see the male and female leads not in an awkward romance just because they were the leads. So, yeah, expect Raleigh and Mako to just be friends. Of course, with the proposed sequel to _Pacific Rim_, Raleigh and Mako might build on their friendship and become romantically involved (if they're in the sequel) - as long as it builds up their platonic relationship first and is done well, I wouldn't mind it, but for now, I'm rather content with them just staying friends.

*Updated info in next chapter.* - On Raleigh and Mako, as well as most of the _Pacific Rim_ characters, they will have roles in this story, but they won't be introduced formally for probably several chapters. As I said at the top, this story will focus largely on the _AoT_ characters (mainly members of the 104th and the Recon/Survey Corps or Scouting Legion or whatever the hell it's called) acting in the _Pacific Rim_-universe.

Also, I know in _Pacific Rim_, during the opening prologue, the following line is heard, "_six days and thirty-five miles later_, three cities were destroyed," but I'm going with writer Travis Beacham's word over the movie. In the film, the three cities Trespasser supposedly destroyed were San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento before being killed in Oakland. However, Sacramento is roughly double that distance, as well as the fact Trespasser would've had to have doubled back in order to be killed in Oakland. "Didn't go to Sacramento. Went from SF to Oakland, down to Hayward, back across to San Mateo, then down to San Jose," said Travis Beacham, in response to a tumblr ask about Trespasser's path of destruction. The distance from San Francisco to San Jose fits more closely with the "thirty-five miles" and I assume Trespasser was actually brought down in San Jose rather than Oakland. So that's that, in case anyone was wondering.

Well, I know this was kind of a slow start to this story, but I hope if you've made it to the end, you've enjoyed the prologue! Thank you so much for reading! Please review if you have time (especially since this is my first story outside of my main fandom, I'd like to know what everyone thought)!


	2. Ch 1: Armin's Story

**A/N** – Hello all! My sincere apologies – it's been a mouth since I posted anything! Things have been going better for me compared to last year, thankfully, but school is back in full swing and I'm really focusing on my studies this semester, so that's left me with very little time to write.

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed this story! I really appreciate it and I'm glad you guys are interested in it!

- **koryandrs**: I'm glad you're excited about this story! Thank you, I'll definitely try.

- **1054SS325MP**: I understand and appreciate your hesitation – if you ever feel that Eren, Mikasa, or anyone seems out-of-character, please let me know. I'm still nervous about writing them. And I do plan to continue this story, but updates will be sporadic and I have no idea how long this story will be.

- **Dr Archangel**: I'm honored you think so highly of this story after just the prologue, I really am. And yes, if there is a sequel (fingers crossed), I'd like to see more story as well. And honestly, I'm finding myself more conflicted about the Mako/Raleigh dynamic in the film – I'll explain more in this chapter's end Author's Note.

- **bottleofcolors**: Thanks for the review! I'm happy you're enjoying the story and find everyone, for as little as we saw of them, to be in-character. And I love Pixis, he's awesome. I hope this chapter has been worth the wait!

Something I'd like to amend – I originally said this story would be more of a focus on the _Attack on Titan_ characters in the _Pacific Rim_-universe, but I feel that might have been misleading, both to you readers and myself. Without a doubt, this story will start out with a heavy, heavy focus on the _Attack on Titan_ characters to establish their backstories, but eventually, the _Pacific Rim_ characters will be given equal attention in later chapters after they are introduced.

And let's be honest, _Pacific Rim_'s plot was predictable (and that's _not_ a bad thing), so everyone should know where this story is generally headed, what endgame will basically be. That being said, there are going to be differences in this story, I'm not going to just rehash the film.

**Disclaimer**: _Pacific Rim_ belongs to Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham; _Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)_ belongs to Hajime Isayama; I own nothing.

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**1. Armin's Story**

**(The Fall of San Francisco, Part 1)**

* * *

_"__It's crazy what suddenly becomes important to you when the world is falling apart."_

– Tendo Choi, "_Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero_"

* * *

If it weren't for the pictures his grandparents had of them, Armin is positive he wouldn't know what his parents had looked like. Unlike his two best friends, he had not lost family as a result of the Kaiju War. No, Dirk and Diana Arlert had worked as professional photographers, traveling to remote regions of the world, bringing back pictures of isolated, tropical islands, vast stretches of tundra and their surrounding seas filled with ice, and beautiful, yet deadly, volcanoes. What Armin did remember, though, was that when his parents had shown him their photos as a very young child, he had referred to what he saw as 'frozen earth' and 'flaming water,' much to his parents' amusement.

This world is beautiful.

In 2009, his parents had gone to the Himalayas to photograph Everest. Just a few days after his parents had arrived at their destination, he learned two things from his grandparents. One was the word 'avalanche' and the second was the fact his parents were never coming home. Local Search and Rescue teams scoured the area for days, but no bodies were ever found.

A year before Trespasser made landfall, Armin's grandmother Elizabeth died of cancer, leaving Eugene Arlert to raise his seven year-old grandson alone. Armin had grieved when his parents had died, but as cruel as it sounds, not as much as he grieved when his grandmother passed. It's not that he didn't love his parents or that he loved his grandmother more, but he hadn't really understood why his parents had died at the time – he had only been four years old then. He had also spent another three years with his grandparents – his memories of them were obviously more recent and easier to hold on to. It helped that they weren't constantly leaving Armin to see the world – which his parents did for a career, not because they didn't love him.

In fact, photography ran in the family – it had been a hobby of his grandmother's and his parents had made a living out of it. Eugene was overcome with surprise at first, but later with bittersweet understanding when Armin's only request for a birthday present that year was a camera. He got another for Christmas that year, followed by a third at the end of summer.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_Saturday, August 10__th__, 2013_ (San Francisco Bay)

And that's why Eugene and Armin were boarding the ferry to Angel Island that day, the boat gently rocking in the morning fog. A San Francisco native just like his grandfather, Armin had been to the island many times since he was born. However, today was going to be different – he hadn't taken any pictures of the island with his new camera. It had become a routine trip for the two of them – traveling to the island at least twice a month, if not more, since Armin had received his first camera. It wasn't just for the sake of taking pictures though, it was also a way for the two Arlerts to spend some quality time together, outside.

Thus, they had more or less become well-known regulars for the ferry crews. And one man in particular stood out amongst the rest – his cheery morning attitude (which increased after a cup of coffee) had become a constant for the Arlerts. As Armin and Eugene took 'their' seats, they knew it was only a matter of time before their friendly brunet ferryman stopped by with his regular cup of coffee.

And he did, not even a minute later; they heard his voice before they saw him, "_Good morning_, Arlerts!"

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Choi," Eugene replied.

"Morning, Tendo!"

The brown-eyed man smiled as he propped himself up against the ferry's railing to talk to the two family members. After taking a quick sip of coffee, Tendo asked, "So, anything special you guys got planned for the day, or just another trip?"

Armin smiled widely, his blue eyes beaming, "Grandpa got me a new camera!"

Eugene chuckled at his grandson's enthusiasm – the same that was held by his late wife, as well as their son and daughter-in-law. "It's been a couple of weeks since he got it, but this was the first chance we've had to come and visit the island."

"Awesome! You'll have to show me the pictures you take some time," Tendo said. Knowing full well the dozens of pictures the seven year-old could take and how long he might be stuck looking at them, Tendo found joy in seeing Armin's face light up whenever he expressed interest in the boy's hobby.

Eugene appreciated Tendo's encouragement of his grandson's pastime – so many people had told Eugene that he should steer Armin away from such a path, the path that had claimed the lives of Dirk and Diana. And while Eugene approved of Armin's hobby, he still feared for his grandson's future if Armin chose to follow in his parents' footsteps. Would he have to bury his grandson as well? Would there even be a body to bury? Eugene shook his head – it was Armin's choice, not his. He was thankful Tendo had helped him to see that.

"Here's the first one," Armin said, spinning the digital camera around to show Tendo a picture of the boat they were currently on.

Leaning forward, Tendo smiled and commented, "Very nice," before taking another sip from his cup. Lowering his drink from his lips, he heard Armin say 'smile.' Tendo obliged and Armin had his second picture of the day – Tendo against his ferry's railing, with the city of San Francisco as the backdrop. Before they could continue their conversation or Armin could show Tendo his photo, the ferry's horn blew, signaling their departure. "Well, gentlemen, duty calls." He paused to ruffle Armin's blond hair, "See you later, kiddo." Nodding towards Eugene, he added, "Mr. Arlert."

Eugene returned the nod and the smile, "Mr. Choi."

Armin waved, "Later Tendo!" The man returned the wave as he disappeared into the ship's bridge.

As the boat began moving, Eugene spoke to his grandson, "He's a good man, and a good role model, Armin. I'm glad you look up to him."

"He's even more than that, Grandpa," Armin smiled, "Tendo's a good friend."

Eugene Arlert nodded his head, agreeing with his grandson somewhat. If Armin were a teenager at least, Eugene could certainly see the boy and Tendo as actual friends. And Armin could definitely use some more – aside from that temperamental Yeager boy, Armin didn't really have any other close friends. And although they were really no more than acquaintances, Eugene saw that his grandson looked up to Tendo not as a friend per se, but more as an older brother. And regardless of whether or not Tendo had a younger sibling growing up, he certainly seemed to treat Armin that way. It was a caring relationship and one Eugene hoped would someday grow into an actual friendship.

As the ferry continued on its journey, the brown-and slightly graying-haired man felt himself on the edge of drifting off to sleep, his tattered brown hat falling over his eyes. It wouldn't be the first time he had napped on the ferry ride – many a time Armin would have to shake him awake once they got to the island. Before the fog of sleep could fully set in, Armin began shaking Eugene's shoulder. "Are we there already, Armin?"

"No," the blond child shook his head, despite his grandfather having not opened his eyes. "What's that over there? I've never seen anything like it."

Eugene grumbled slightly, but lifted his hat and cracked his eyelids open, following his grandson's outstretched arm towards the Golden Gate Bridge. "What's what? Oh, _that_." On the opposite side of the bridge, a large, dark shape was moving quickly through the water, barely visible in the fog. "I don't know, Armin – probably just a boat."

Armin excitedly took a picture of the dark shape, "I've never seen a boat like that before!" Continuing to take pictures with his camera, Armin had no idea he had a front-row seat to the beginning of the apocalypse.

Eugene watched as the shape rose from the water, his expression turning from mild curiosity to sheer terror in seconds. The other ferry passengers began to gather on their side of the ship, their murmuring growing as they pointed towards the bridge. The older Arlert swallowed, finding his mouth had suddenly gone dry, "_My God_."

The creature was as tall, if not taller, than the bridge before it and began to attack the structure with its gigantic four arms, releasing a deafening roar as it did so. Throwing its bladed head back, the beast continued its attack as its roar echoed out of its fiery bioluminescent maw. All of the ferry's windows shattered from the intensity of the beast's feral scream, glass flying across the boat. As chunks of the metal bridge fell to the bay below, along with dozens of vehicles and their unlucky passengers, the people on the ferry could only watch the scene unfold in horror.

Armin was shaking with fear, but continued to take pictures, unsure of how he should react but felt he was doing more than just gaping at the scene before him. However, as he slowly lowered the camera from his eye, he realized why it was so hard to do more than just that. Perhaps the camera had made Armin feel detached from the situation, it's hard to say, but as soon as he actually saw the destruction with his own eyes and not through a camera lens, he stood aghast like everyone else.

Larger sections of the bridge began to fall, causing the water around the small boat to become turbulent. As passengers and crew held on for dear life, the creature roared again, diving back into the water now that its path was unobstructed by the bridge. As the titanic beast headed further into the bay, the ferry was thankfully pushed out of its path by the waves of water it displaced.

As the boat continued northward, the giant headed in the opposite direction. While the crew docked the boat just offshore of Angel Island, Armin was able to overhear the radio, but only managed to catch snippets. _". . . the creature has turned South . . . Authorities . . . urge an orderly evacuation . . . bridge destroyed . . . freeways jammed . . . countless many trapped . . . in the creature's path."_

As soon as the report died down, the golden-haired boy heard Tendo's voice, urgent and pleading, "We have to _help_ them…"

The startled voice of the ferry captain responded, "Are you _crazy_, Tendo?"

"Are _you_, Mackie?" Tendo challenged. "You have a boat! You're telling me that you can really just sit here with all those people stuck in the city?"

"Damn it," another ferryman cursed, "he's right…"

Mackie sighed, "I know he is." Tendo would give his boss credit, for only seconds later his voice was commanding and confident, despite feeling the same fear as everyone else. "Okay, here's the plan," as the crew gathered around the map of the bay, their captain pointed out a set of docks on the North end of what remained of the Golden Gate Bridge. "Sausalito, Belvedere, and Tiburon – we'll communicate with the other ferries and begin offloading refugees at each port." Nodding towards the helmsman he said, "Head towards Sausalito, we'll drop off our current passengers there before going back South."

Tendo dashed out onto the deck after Mackie had dismissed them all. His job was to help organize the passengers and keep them calm. "Alright, everyone, listen up! We're heading to Sausalito! I'm going to need everyone to stay calm and stay focused!" He paused, letting the crowd know his next words were important, "I know we're all scared, but if we're going to make it through this, you have to listen to us, okay?" After murmurs of understanding and a few nods passed towards Tendo, he explained the plan. "As soon as the ramp goes down, I want everyone in two straight lines – disembark quickly, efficiently, and don't trample each other."

The lines began to form, curving around the boat with Armin and Eugene towards the end, close to the bridge. "It's going to be alright, Armin, we're safe," Eugene was telling him, but his grandson continued to shake, tears rolling down from his blue eyes. "Armin, look at me." The boy did as he was told, "We're going to make it through this, okay?"

Armin nodded stiffly, not sure if he believed his grandfather. "Armin," he turned, his name spoken by someone behind him – Tendo, kneeling down to match the boy's height. "Hey buddy, how're you doing?"

"Not too good." The blond clutched his prized camera tighter, "I'm scared, Tendo."

Tendo reached up and squeezed Armin's shoulder, "So am I, Armin. But we have to be brave." His voice dropped to a whisper, "And you've gotta look after your Grandpa, okay? Can you do that for me?" Armin nodded, his tears still falling but a new fire began to burn in his eyes – he had to look out for his grandfather, his only remaining family. "Good man." Standing up, he addressed Eugene, "We'll get you guys to safety, don't worry."

"I never doubted you, Mr. Choi."

Nodding, Tendo returned to the bridge as the ferry approached Sausalito, something at the back of his mind was nagging him. It felt like he was forgetting something. He called another ferryman over and the two of them began preparing the boat so that the passengers could disembark. Tendo then watched as Armin clutched his grandfather's arm, the two heading to safety as they dashed down the ramp. The image increased the nagging feeling in his mind, as well as the feeling of dread in his gut. It was only when they returned to the San Francisco docks that it hit Tendo.

_'__Grandpa Yeye,'_ Tendo paled. Panicking, he pulled out his phone and dialed his grandfather's number. His anxiety increased as an error message appeared, informing him that service was unavailable.

Noticing his crewman's worried expression, Mackie called out to his friend, "What's up, Tendo?"

"I can't get ahold of my grandfather," Tendo replied before he leapt over the ferry's railing onto the dock.

"_What the_ _hell_?" He heard Mackie scream, "Where are you going?"

"Chinatown," Tendo shouted, "I'll be back."

"I don't know how many runs I can make!" Mackie's panic had returned – Tendo could hear it easily in his voice. "If you don't get back by the time –"

Tendo cut him off, "You do what you have to do, Mackie!"

* * *

***A/N** – Tendo's full story (minus the Arlerts, obviously) during K-Day can be found in the graphic novel, "_Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero_," so I'm not going to repeat it in its entirety. However, this story will tell the end result of it, so spoilers for the graphic novel are ahead.*

* * *

Armin and Eugene watched a distance away from the shore as the ferries continued to bring as many refugees across the bay as quickly as possible. But there was still no sign of Tendo – the ferry captain, Mackie, had said something about Tendo going to get his grandfather – or Armin's only real friend, Eren. "Grandpa," Armin asked, "do you think the Yeagers made it out safely?"

Eugene sighed, "I don't know, Armin. We can only hope they did." He kept the afterthought that crept into his mind to himself, not wanting to worry his grandson more. _'And if they didn't, I pray their deaths were quick and painless.'_

Finally, they saw a lone ferry approaching – they recognized it as the one they had boarded this morning. As it docked, only twenty-some people disembarked. One of them Armin instantly recognized as Tendo, who was carrying a coughing older man in a blanket. Before Armin could run to see his friend, Eugene had placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Grandpa?"

"Now isn't a good time to talk to him, Armin. Tendo needs to be alone with _his_ grandfather."

Armin looked at his grandfather at first in confusion, but then looked more closely at the Chois. The coughing coming from Tendo's grandfather, along with his paled expression, reminded Armin too vividly of his grandmother's last days. The flaxen-haired boy nodded solemnly towards his own grandfather in understanding.

"Everyone, I need you all to keep moving!" The new voice came from a National Guardsman, who, after Mackie, was the last to leave the ferry. The tall man had short blond hair barely visible beneath his helmet, as well as a trimmed mustache. "We don't know if the creature will change course and head this way, so please make your way into the city! It was last sighted still in San Francisco, heading south-east, but we need to keep moving!"

Everyone began moving in a mechanical fashion – they were thankful to be alive, but many were still overwhelmed with shock.

Armin turned around to look back towards what had been his home – now nothing but a pile of rubble and ash, the monster that had destroyed still continuing its rampage, as indicated by yet another skyscraper collapsing.

The boy caught sight of Tendo, openly weeping by the shore, his grandfather's limp body held tightly in his arms. Armin was young, but he was mature for his age. And despite wanting to run to Tendo just to be there for the man, he knew the ferryman needed time to grieve alone. After a minute, the brunet had stood and begun to carry his late grandfather towards Sausalito.

As Armin turned to once again follow his grandfather, he caught sight of another familiar face – that of his best friend, Eren Yeager. But as relieved as Armin was to see him, he was also concerned – where were Mr. and Mrs. Yeager? Why was the National Guardsman carrying him over his shoulder? And what was most disconcerting was the fact that Eren never took his eyes off the city, his expression catatonic.

"Eren…?" Armin feared that he knew why his best friend was in his current state, but he hoped he was wrong.

His grandfather voiced his fear, however. "That poor soul; you can tell what happened just by looking at him." Armin gasped, but said nothing in response, accepting the reality of his grandfather's words. Eugene placed a protective arm around his grandson as they headed north into the city of Sausalito, just two of thousands of refugees escaping the ruins of what had once been the proud city of San Francisco.

The next day, San Francisco was nuked. The creature soldiered on as if nothing happened.

Two days later, Oakland met a similar end and yet again, the leviathan seemingly shrugged off the nuclear blast.

It was finally brought down in San Jose on August 15th, thirty-five miles from where it made land. It had taken six days, tens of thousands of lives, and three tactical nuclear strikes, but the dragon was finally slain.

* * *

**A/N** – This isn't the end of Armin's backstory, so don't worry, there's more to come! After Eren's backstory, I think I'll have a short chapter of Eren and Armin spending time together before introducing Mikasa. And then Mikasa will have her own chapter of backstory, of course (I actually have a good amount of it written already). And then I'm planning on having a chapter of backstory for after they've all met up, along with when they decide to join the PPDC.

So, I named Armin's grandfather Eugene – it will be explained why in the Author's Note at the beginning of another chapter (I wrote these backstory chapters out of order, but am posting them chronologically, so the reason behind his name will make more sense when I post Mikasa's chapter). And I named his grandmother Elizabeth for the simple fact it was a name that also started with 'e.' Following that trend, I had both of Armin's parents' names start with 'd.' I think you can all guess as to who Armin will probably be romantically involved with in this story (I'm looking at you, fellow Aruani fans). It'll be one of those side-relationships I mentioned in the Prologue's Author's Note and probably the most prevalent of all the side-relationships.

I'd also like to amend what I said about Raleigh and Mako's relationship. After watching the movie again, learning more about them from the art book (concept art of them dancing in the Kwoon – to aid in drifting, I presume), the wiki, and some articles, I have mixed feelings about the pairing. Especially after learning Guillermo del Toro said he apparently shot their sparring match in the Kwoon in the same manner he'd shoot a sex scene… And even more so after I learned an alternative ending for the film was not the embrace we got but instead a kiss (which I think might actually have been filmed).

On the one hand, I really, really like the relationship established in the film – which I think, after seeing the movie a few more times, can be interpreted as platonic or romantic depending on how you look at it/how you feel. Either way, it is a very intimate relationship. I guess I should say I'm glad they just didn't have sex for the sake of being lead characters – _that_ is something that seems to happen far too often. Raleigh and Mako built up a great level of chemistry but their end-game relationship was left ambiguous for the audience.

And on the other hand, I feel they'll inevitably be drawn together – they literally know everything about each other and still stand by one another as not only Drift partners, but as friends. So, yeah, I'm somewhat conflicted about them being romantically involved, but I'll list them as a pairing and their end-story relationship will also be somewhat ambiguous to let both you readers and myself reach our own conclusions (unless I later decide I _really_ want them to be one or the other).

Well, I guess I'll see you all at the beginning of the next chapter – which I hope won't take as long to post. Thanks again for reading and your support!


	3. Ch 2: Eren's Story

**UPDATE!** – Literally a day after posting the last chapter I realized something. Tendo's account of K-Day doesn't match up with the film and I had been using _Tales from Year Zero_ as my basis for the last chapter instead of the movie. To quote Raleigh in the film, "by the time tanks, jets, and missiles took it down – _six days and thirty-five miles later_…" _TfYZ_ does not match that account – Tendo says that his grandfather and the creature died at the same time – implying Trespasser was killed on August 10th, the same day it attacked. And we only see the one nuke in Tendo's story – according to Travis Beacham, it took _three_ to kill Trespasser. I also feel incredibly dumb because I stated that information in the prologue… So if you read the last chapter the day I posted it, the ending was edited the day after to more accurately match the film.

**A/N** – Greetings! Surprisingly enough, it didn't take me an entire month before I was able to post another chapter!

Once again, thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I didn't expect this story to get so much attention, but I'm very happy knowing people are enjoying it so far!

- **Dr Archangel**: I'm pleased to hear you're still enjoying this story, despite any traumatic feelings it created! And thank you once again for your praise, my friend.

- **MidMorningSong**: Happy to hear you like it so far! And I'm truly honored that you think so highly of this story.

Also, I did make some very minor edits to the prologue and first chapter this morning, but nothing critical to the story. Probably the biggest edit was spelling changes. I feel dumb for not knowing, but I never knew the difference between blond/blonde and brunet/brunette…

**Disclaimer**: _Pacific Rim_ belongs to Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham; _Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)_ belongs to Hajime Isayama; I own nothing.

* * *

**2. Eren's Story**

**(The Fall of San Francisco, Part 2)**

* * *

_"__Something out there had discovered us. They counted on the humans to hide, to give up, to fail…"_

- Raleigh Becket

* * *

_Friday, August 9__th__, 2013_ (San Francisco, California)

Eren Yeager hopped off the school bus, relieved to finally be done with summer school, which he had been forced to attend largely as a result of his short temper, resulting in poor grades, during the regular school year. Running up the steps to his house, he unlocked the door and walked inside, the smell of food wafting through the air. "Mom, Dad, I'm home!"

His mother's voice directed him, although his stomach was already telling him where to go, "Welcome home, Eren! We're in the kitchen!" The eight year-old set his backpack at the foot of the stairs before heading to the aforementioned room. Upon entering, he saw his mother cooking dinner while his father sat in his usual chair at the kitchen table, reading something on his tablet. Eren immediately knew something was up – his parents traded days to cook dinner and his mother had cooked last night. The boy then noticed his father's briefcase was also sitting on the table, typically an indicator that Grisha Yeager was going to be leaving on a trip.

"Uh," Eren pointed towards his father's carrycase, "Dad, are you headed out?"

Grisha glanced up from his tablet to answer his son, "Yes, unfortunately. Dr. Schoenfeld had to cancel at the last minute, so I'm attending the L.A. conference in his place. I'll be back in two or three days, depending on how long I'm needed there."

Eren grumbled – this was not the first time Jasper Schoenfeld had asked his father to cover at the last minute. Eren's mother voiced her frustration, "Well, perhaps if Dr. Schoenfeld wasn't so busy giving his female students 'private lessons,' he'd be able to attend!" The eight year-old boy didn't know _exactly_ what his mother meant by 'private lessons,' but he could guess it wasn't anything related to tutoring.

"Carla, we talked about this." Grisha turned his tablet off and stuffed it into his bag, "This way the university pays me some extra money and soon they'll see I'm more valuable of an asset than Jasper."

"I know," his wife responded as she cleaned some of their dirtied cooking supplies – dinner cooking on the stove, "but it still irks me." She smiled when her husband walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'll be back before you know it, darling," Grisha said, planting an affectionate kiss to the nape of his wife's neck. Meanwhile, their son gagged over their tender moment.

Turning in her husband's arms, Carla gave her husband a loving kiss, "I know," she said as their lips separated. "Be safe," she whispered as she readjusted his crooked glasses. Smoothing his collar she added, "Try to have a good trip."

Grisha kissed her again, "I will. I love you."

"I love you, too."

As soon as Grisha turned back towards Eren, the boy stopped his antics. "Eren," his father addressed him, "stay out of trouble while I'm away." Grabbing his briefcase, he kissed the crown of his son's head before walking towards the door. As he opened it, he glanced over his shoulder and smiled at his son, "And if you behave yourself, I'll show you my lab at the university when I get back." With that, he was out the door.

As the elder Yeager entered his car, Eren ran to the open window and waved, yelling out, "Have a safe trip, Dad!" Grisha waved to his son in response before backing out into the street and heading towards Los Angeles.

Carla walked up behind Eren, "You truly are your father's son."

"Huh?"

Shaking her head, she guided her son back towards the kitchen, "You want to design big machines, just like your dad." Jokingly she added, "Heaven forbid you go into medicine like your mother."

"Mom!"

"I'm only kidding, Eren," Carla chuckled, "now come on, dinner's ready." As Eren sat at the table, she poured a bowl of vegetable soup for herself and one for her son. Eren ate greedily and although his mother frowned on such behavior, he brought the bowl to his lips to slurp down the last of his soup. Once they finished, Eren placed the bowls in the sink while Carla put the remaining soup in the fridge before heading upstairs. She returned only moments later, her medical scrubs in their usual duffel, to find her son watching television with the volume muted. "Since your father's out of town and I'm working the evening shift for a few extra hours, I called a babysitter for you."

"I'm eight years old, Mom!" Eren whined as he scrolled through the channels. "I can stay at home by myself."

Carla laughed, "You can stay at home alone when your father and I _deem_ you old enough, Eren Yeager."

"Fine," Eren resigned himself to his fate. "Who is it?"

At that moment a knock was heard at the front door – Eren presumed it was his caretaker for the evening. After checking who it was through the peephole, Carla opened the door with a smile, "Alex! Thank you so much for stopping by on such short notice!"

Alex Hannes returned his neighbor's smile, "It's the least I could do, Carla. I'm still in your debt for saving my wife's life."

Carla smiled tiredly, "As I've told you before, there's no debt you need to repay. I was simply doing my job." Before the blond man could protest further, she asked, "How is Lisa doing by the way?"

"She's still doing great," Hannes answered happily. "She's actually out of town right now, visiting family up in Portland."

"That's good to hear. Thank you again for watching Eren tonight." Turning back towards the living room, she addressed her son, "Eren, I'll be back later – be good for Captain Hannes!" She was gone in a flash, leaving Eren and his mustached neighbor in a staring match.

Eren turned his attention back to the T.V., "Captain."

"Eren," Hannes walked over and settled on the couch, "how are you?"

"Alright, I guess; bored. And you?"

"I can't complain." After a few beats of silence, Hannes asked, "So, anything you want to do tonight?" The blond man gestured towards the hall closet where he knew from experience the family kept board games, "Play a game?"

Eren shrugged, giving the man about as much affirmation as he could hope for. Ever since Eren had seen Hannes drunk while still in uniform – despite having been off-duty – two years ago, he'd lost some respect for the man. Sighing, Hannes stood and walked to the closet. Upon opening the doors, he began listing off the games inside. "Apples-to-Apples? Scrabble? Boggle – do you like Boggle?"

Before the man could name any more board games, Eren unmuted the T.V., allowing a deafening "_Seid ihr das Essen? Nein, wir sind der Jäger!_" to echo from the speakers.

Hannes bounded to the room, immediately recognizing the song, "Nope! Nope, nope! Nope, nope, nope, nope! _Nope_!" Grabbing the remote from the eight year-old, the man lowered the volume and turned off the device against the boy's protests. "We've talked about this Eren, your parents don't want you watching anything violent."

Eren huffed indignantly, "It's just a little blood."

Hannes face-palmed – there was nothing 'little' about the amount of blood in that anime. Reaching into his bag, the man pulled out a couple DVD's that had been effective when the boy was younger – before Eren had seen him drunk. "How about we steer away from gore completely, huh? Why don't we watch some _Bugs Bunny_ instead? Or _Tom & Jerry_?"

Before the man could react, Eren had dashed up the stairs and slammed his door shut with a cry of, "I'm not a baby anymore, Hannes!"

"Eren!" Hannes shouted up the stairs, "These are _classics_!" Sighing, he popped a DVD into the player, turned the television back on, and settled back onto the couch.

After about half an hour of cat vs. mouse antics, he heard Eren's door open. Hannes was relieved – Eren had calmed down. He tried not to smile too much when he heard the boy's footsteps creak down the wooden steps to the first floor, stopping at the bottom.

An hour and a half later, the disc ended and Hannes stood up, walking over to the foot of the stairs where the brunet boy was fast asleep, curled up in a blanket. On the nights after Eren would get angry with him, it was typically a guarantee that if he popped in a classic cartoon, the boy would eventually come out of his room. And although Eren tried to be sneaky and watch the television from the hallway, he always seemed to fall asleep. Eren might not be a baby, but he was still human – and still a child – and Hannes had yet to find anyone, especially a kid, who could resist classic slapstick cartoons.

After carrying the blanketed boy back to his room and placing him on the bed, Hannes made his way back downstairs. Always respectful of the boy's pride, Hannes never mentioned having to carry the slumbering kid back to his room – for this, Eren was very grateful.

A couple hours later, Carla Yeager returned home to find Hannes on his cellphone, talking in an agitated whisper. Catching sight of his neighbor, the blond man pointed upwards and mouthed the word 'sleeping' to her. Carla nodded and let the National Guardsman finish his conversation in peace.

"Sorry about that, Carla," Hannes began as he hung up, "my buddy just called in sick, so I'm going to have to take over for him in the morning." He headed towards the door, but Carla stopped him with a routine question.

"Was Eren a pain tonight?"

Hannes laughed quietly as he gave his regular answer, "No more than usual."

"How much do I owe you?"

"Carla, I told you – you don't need to pay me for watching your kid. I'm still in your debt."

Carla sighed, "Alright. Thank you again, Alex. Have a good night."

"And you as well."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_Saturday, August 10__th__, 2013_ (San Francisco, California)

When Eren awoke the next morning, his sense of smell was once again overwhelmed with that of a delicious meal being prepared. The eight year-old quickly got dressed before descending the stairs. Upon entering the kitchen his mother greeted him, "Good morning, sleepyhead."

Eren yawned as he took his seat, "Morning, Mom."

"The pancakes will be ready in just a minute."

The boy rubbed the sleep away from his emerald eyes, "Awesome, thanks Mom."

Flipping the pancakes onto a couple of plates, Carla nonchalantly asked, "Did you behave for Captain Hannes last night?"

"Yeah."

"So you didn't try and watch anything violent?"

Eren stuttered as his mother placed his breakfast before him, "O-of course n-not!" He felt a sudden tug on his left ear and winced. "What was that for?" he demanded, massaging his sore earlobe with one hand as he drowned his pancakes in maple syrup with the other.

Carla smirked – nothing escaped a mother's watchful gaze. "Your ear was red. You were lying." She sighed as she took her seat, "Your father and I will let you know when we think you're old enough to watch stuff like that." She didn't need to specify what 'that' was, the anime Eren had been trying to watch for weeks, but his parents – or Hannes – always thwarted his attempts.

Eren attacked his syrup-drenched pancakes voraciously and after swallowing a mouthful asked, "When will that be?"

Cutting her breakfast into much more manageable pieces and pouring on much less syrup than her son, Carla paused to glare at him, "When your father and I _decide_ that you're mature enough, Eren Yeager, we will let you know."

Shoveling another helping of hotcakes into his mouth, Eren asked, "Wen wahl thet-"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Eren, it's rude."

Grumbling, the boy finished chewing and swallowed before repeating his question. "When will that be?"

"Eren," Carla set her silverware down, "your father and I just want what's best for you. And with your temperament and young age, we believe you should refrain from watching anything too violent."

"So you think I'm weak."

"_Eren Yeager_! I have never said _anything_ like that, nor has your father. And neither of us thinks you're weak –"

At this point, Eren had lost both his appetite and patience – the short-fuse that was his temper had already blown. Standing up, he ran to the front door. Carla stopped in her explanation to chase after her son, finding herself yelling at him from the top of their small porch.

"Where on earth are you going, young man?!"

"To the park!" the boy replied as he ran down the sidewalk.

Carla sighed in exasperation – she knew that if she were to pursue her son he would just run further away. Thankfully a small community park – just a field of grass with a few trees and a basketball court – was conveniently located at the end of their block. In the past, it had served as Eren's main escape away from home and helped him cool-down after his temper flared. The fact that all the people in the area knew Eren to some extent gave Carla a sense of security; if she were to try and talk with him now, he would leave the familiar area and potentially get lost in the city, so she let him be.

After finishing her breakfast, Carla returned to the porch and quietly sat down at the top of the steps to read the newspaper. If Eren didn't return in twenty minutes, she would go check the park just to make sure he hadn't gotten into any more trouble. But for now, she would wait and let her frustration dissipate as well.

The quake hit only minutes later.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

As Eren ran to the open field of grass, away from the trees and the basketball court and the other end of the park, the ground continued to shake. One of the older basketball poles, rusted at the bottom from years of exposure to the elements, fell to the ground with a resounding crash.

And as soon as it had begun, the shaking stopped. Eren looked around at the surrounding buildings, observing that the damage had been rather minimal, but was still quite noticeable. The boy felt a sudden wetness on his cheek; reaching up with a hand, he discovered what it was – a tear. He wiped at his eyes furiously, hating the fact that he had started crying – as well as not even noticing that he had been – despite the frightening situation he had just been in.

Inhuman screams came from above and as the brunet boy turned his gaze skyward, he was certain not all of them had come from the jets flying past. Something was happening – this wasn't a normal earthquake. He heard someone call his name – turning, he saw his mother and ran towards her.

Thinking back to the moment years later, Eren tells himself he should have seen it coming. Tells himself he should have known. He thinks of all the 'what ifs' and replays the scenario over and over again in his mind's eye, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't change what happened. And what kills him the most is not only knowing that, but accepting it.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The moment the earthquake had hit, Carla had jumped away from her house. Thankfully, the street was empty so early in the morning, so she and the other early-risers had found refuge away from the shaking buildings on the asphalt.

And the second it stopped, Carla raced down the block, desperate to find her son. Just as she arrived, she heard the screech of jets flying overhead, as well as something else far in the distance that she didn't try to think about.

She saw her son standing in the open grass, his back to her and his eyes on the sky. She called out to him, "Eren!" He turned towards her and relief passed over both of their faces. While it hadn't been the first earthquake they'd dealt with, it was still scary. As her son began to run towards her, Carla raced towards him.

In the seconds that it took to happen, Carla realized her mistake. She knew she should have been more careful. Knew she could have avoided it.

But as she passed under the old Oak tree and heard the thunderous crack, she also knew she could do nothing to avoid it now.

And so fell the branch, leaden and free, right upon Carla Yeager.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Eren heard the snap of the tree limb, saw its descent to the earth below, and watched in horror as it fell right on top of his mother. "Mom!" She lay still and Eren ran towards her once again, a pit of dread growing in his stomach. "Mom!"

Carla slowly opened her eyes, her senses coming back to her. The simple act of parting her eyelids felt draining, as if she had no strength. Her body ached, but the most concerning fact was that she couldn't feel her legs. "Eren."

The boy grabbed ahold of his mother's free hand, "Mom, I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" He then moved to one end of the branch and attempted to lift it, "I'll get you out of there!"

"Eren! I need you to stay calm and get help. You can't lift that on your own." Carla felt pain beginning to register, but it was a dull throb, something she could push away for the moment. The branch that had fallen on her was large and incredibly heavy. She doubted even two adults, no matter how strong, could lift it. Machinery would be needed to remove it and the doctor honestly didn't know if she'd live long enough to be freed. Her legs were crushed – she knew that without a doubt. Based on what she couldn't feel, she also assumed she was paralyzed from the waist down. And there was probably plenty of bleeding, both externally and internally, but she couldn't know how much.

More jets screamed overhead, flying north towards the bay just like the others had minutes ago. Eren was screaming himself, yelling for help. No one seemed to notice, even as he ran towards them, trying to get their attention. And there were plenty of people running and driving down the streets, almost as if they were evacuating the city. Carla was puzzled – she knew there had been an earthquake, but the jets were something else entirely. They hadn't simply been flying by, no the jets they'd seen had been prepared to engage something. Then she remembered the other scream she had heard, something that was not of human origin, and it sent chills down her spine.

Eren was getting hysterical – no one was bothering to stop and help him. What was going on? Why were people running? "Help! Someone, please help me!"

"Eren?!" The boy's head whipped around at the voice – he recognized it instantly, though he'd never thought he'd be so happy to hear it.

"Captain Hannes! Help! My Mom's trapped!"

The National Guardsman ran towards the Yeagers, clad in full armor, his blond hair barely noticeable under his helmet. As he approached, Carla asked worriedly, "What's going on, Alex? People are running around like it's the apocalypse!"

"There's something – some creature – attacking the city. The thing's enormous – it took out the Golden Gate!" Had the situation not been so dire, and the evidence plain in the people fleeing the city, both mother and son would have doubted the man's sanity. As Hannes moved to the heavier end of the branch and Eren returned to his spot, Carla began to worry.

Fear filling her voice, she asked, "Alex, which way is it headed?"

"It's heading this way, so we need to hurry." The man struggled with his end of the branch, managing to lift it a few inches before its weight caused him to lower it again.

"Alex, if it's heading this way, you need to get out of here." She pleaded with her neighbor, "Take Eren and run."

Hannes smiled reassuringly, "Don't take me lightly, Carla. We'll get you out of there."

"We're not going to leave you, Mom!"

"You don't understand," Carla said quietly, "my legs have been crushed by the branch." She looked towards her son, "I can't run even if I get out."

Tears returned to Eren's eyes, yet he didn't bother to try and hide them. Determined, he screamed, "Then I'll carry you and run!"

"Why?" Carla screamed back, her brown eyes filling with tears just like her son's, "Why can't you just listen to what I say for once?! _Please!_ Please just listen to me – just one last time!"

An earth-shattering roar silenced the trio. Glancing to the north-west, they saw _it_. The creature Hannes had spoken of, the beast that had destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge and begun its attack on the city of San Francisco. And the reports Hannes received had been correct – it was heading in their direction.

A jet fighter shot missiles at the side of the creature's head, but the monster seemed to barely notice the impacts. Without warning, the beast brought one of its hands up, as if swatting a fly. The pilot couldn't react in time and crashed into the creature's scaly hide.

It had dark gray skin with lines of vibrant orange cutting across its body every now and then. A spiked, shell-like piece of armor covered its back and it had four massive arms, all ending in enormous claws. As it threw its axe-like head back in another deafening roar, the fires of hell seemed to glow from its open mouth.

On instinct, Hannes had grabbed his rifle, which had been hanging from the top of his torso by a strap, and brought it up as if to take a shot at the creature, despite its distance. He stared at the beast through the sight, time seemingly slowing down around him. Shell-shocked, he watched another jet collide with the beast, which seemed to irritate it more than harm it. And then, to Alex at least, it seemed that the monster turned its head and looked straight at him before marching in their direction. Fear consumed the man and he knew what he was going to do, though he would hate himself for it for years to come.

Lowering his rifle, the guardsman ran to the other end of the fallen branch and reached down to grab Eren. "Hey! Hannes!" Eren screamed as the blond picked him up, throwing him over a shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?"

Hannes looked at his neighbor one last time, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Carla whispered. "Thank you."

The soldier then turned and ran north, Eren screaming from his shoulder, "Mom is still trapped in there!" The boy stretched his right arm towards the shrinking form of his mother, as if he could still reach out and save her, "Mom!"

With her left arm, Carla mimicked her son, trying to hold onto his retreating form for as long as possible, "Eren! Live on!" As the thundering footsteps grew ever closer, Carla brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. She had accepted the situation, her death, everything. But fear had begun to creep in and she found herself whispering, "Don't go…"

Closing her eyes, she wept openly, and soon Carla felt a shadow fall over her.

Seconds later it was followed by what cast the shadow.

And then she felt nothing.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Eren watched with horror as the creature made its way towards the park, the earth shaking with each of its massive steps. The boy could still see his mother even at their growing distance, so as the beast marched forward, he knew what was going to happen. He tried to look away, but found that he could not.

But as the monster's foot came down on the park, all Eren could bring himself to do was scream, "NO!" As the titanic beast lifted its foot, the only things Eren could see were dust and debris. There was no sign of his mother left. In mere seconds, Carla Yeager's life had been literally stomped out.

This world is cruel.

As if to add even more pain, the beast began to walk straight through their neighborhood, destroying everything in its path. The last sight Eren got of his home was a dust cloud erupting into the sky as the creature continued its march southward. His mother, his home, they were gone. And he had been powerless to stop those losses. Grief that no child should ever know soon filled his heart and he continued to scream until his throat was raw, wishing this was just a nightmare.

Eren soon began to channel his grief into anger, which he promptly directed at Hannes, pounding his tiny fists against the man's armored back and helmet, despite knowing he was hurting himself more than his rescuer.

"Eren?" Hannes asked between blows, "What are you doing?"

"We could've saved Mom!" The brunet landed another punch to the man's back, his hands beginning to bruise. "Why the hell would you do that?!" Turning, the eight year-old brought his left elbow down on his neighbor's helmet, sending a wave of pain up his arm, but he ignored it. "We could've saved Mom!"

Reaching up, Hannes grabbed Eren's probably-injured left arm and threw the struggling child to the ground in front of him. "Cut it out!"

The boy landed on his stomach but made no attempt to move, his body shaking. The physical pain he received attacking Hannes was great, but it was nowhere near the emotional pain he was feeling. Grief – his mother was gone, forever. And so was the only home he'd ever known. Anger – they could have saved her, he knows they could have. Guilt – if he hadn't gotten into an argument with her, she'd probably still be alive. She would have had no reason to search for him and therefore she wouldn't have been crushed by the tree branch.

_'__Why?!' _Eren screamed in his mind,_ 'Why was I so immature and argued until the very end?!'_ Memories of his mother flashed through the boy's mind, flashes of laughter, arguments, love, and regret._ 'Mom is gone…'_ The monster's foot coming down upon the park replayed over and over again in his mind._ 'She's gone! Why?'_

"Eren…" Hannes began, and slowly the brunet glanced up at his neighbor, waiting for the man to continue. "You couldn't help your mother," the guardsman knelt down to the boy's level, "because you're weak."

Eren's eyes widened and he jumped towards the man, his uninjured right arm springing forward in an attempt to punch Hannes in the face. However, years of training and simple experience allowed the older individual to grab the child's arm around the wrist, stopping Eren's attack.

Alex's gaze was fixated on the ground, his head dipped ever so slightly. "And I couldn't save your mother," he met Eren's gaze, tears now streaming from his amber eyes, "because I was scared!" Quickly, Eren stopped his struggling, tears racing down his cheeks as well.

As Hannes stood, he kept his hand wrapped around Eren's wrist, leading him away from what had been their neighborhood – their _home_. Neither made any attempt to wipe away their tears. And as the boy let loose a strangled sob, Hannes offered an honest condolence, "I'm sorry, Eren." With that, the two neighbors began heading northward, towards the docks.

Several minutes later, Hannes' radio went off, _"Captain, status report. Your squad says they were separated from you, are you alright?"_

Hannes responded instantly, regaining his composure enough to keep his voice steady, "Yes, sir, I'm fine. I'm currently escorting a civilian to the docks for evacuation, sir."

_"__Can they not manage on their own?" _

"No sir," Hannes glanced down at his companion, Eren was now in shock, simply walking wherever the guardsman directed him. "He's just a young boy, Colonel." He paused, "And his mother was killed. He's possibly injured and in no condition to be alone, sir."

_"__Alright, make sure he gets to the docks, Captain. And then accompany him and any other civilians across the bay, we're pulling back." _

"Copy that, sir."

_"__Good. Pixis out." _

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Eventually, the two made it to the docks, hoping to catch one of the ferries to the other side of the bay. But when they arrived, the docks were empty, all the ferries gone. There were however, a few people – stragglers who had fought their way through the city in hope of escape. The two standing closest to the end of the dock were two men, one a bit younger than Hannes, the other much older.

Hannes then noticed the younger man was wearing a ferry uniform – certainly he would have an idea about where the ferries were. Approaching the two men, Alex asked the ferryman, "Do you have any idea when the ferries will return?"

The brunet shook his head, "No, I do not, sir." Glancing at the shorter, older man, he added, "I couldn't get in touch with my grandfather after the bridge fell, so I went back into the city to get him."

Hannes nodded, "I understand." He pulled out his radio and handed it to the other man, "I assume you know your ferry's frequency, Mr.…?"

"Choi, sir. Tendo Choi." Glancing at Alex's name and rank he added, "And I do indeed know the frequency, Captain Hannes."

A short time after Tendo's call, Mackie's ferry came back across the bay at full speed. The few refugees that were left at this point boarded quickly; Hannes made sure Eren stayed at his side the entire time. As the ferry headed north towards Sausalito, the streets – and lingering populace – of San Francisco remained at the mercy of whatever hellish beast was attacking the city. Those on the boat tried not to listen to the shattering sounds of collapsing buildings, the roar of the creature, or the explosions caused by missiles – and sometimes jets – colliding with the beast.

As the ferry fled its home port, Eren tried to move, he really did. He tried to do something other than sit on the deck and stare aimlessly ahead. But he couldn't bring himself to do anything. His mother's death kept replaying in his head like a broken record, tormenting him. _'Why did I always argue with her? Why did she have to die? Why couldn't I save her?'_

And then Hannes' words would echo in his thoughts, _'Because you're weak.'_

_'__I am weak. And because of that, Mom's dead. She's gone forever, just like our home.' _ Eren _knew_ his home was gone, but the actual realization hit him like a ton of bricks. _ 'I'll never be able to go home again.'_

Eren remembers Hannes lifting him up and placing him over a shoulder to carry him once again, but only barely. At this point, the brunet had closed himself off from the world. His senses registered the world around him, but everything was muted and distant. Later he would recall noticing Armin and his grandfather, but at the time, he continued to stare at the city he had been forced to flee from.

His home was taken from him.

His mother was killed before his very eyes.

His only thought before exhaustion finally claimed him was, _'Dad, I'm scared.'_

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_Saturday, August 10__th__, 2013_ (Los Angeles, California)

The engineering conference had begun that morning as routinely as any of the others that Grisha Yeager had attended in the past. While listening to a colleague's presentation, Grisha and the other attendees were shocked when an aide rushed in, screaming for a news station, any news station, to be brought up on the television.

Based on the man's horrified expression, everyone feared the worst, from natural disasters to terrorist attacks. Without waiting for an explanation as to why, the projector screen changed from a slideshow to the local news station.

The main headline appeared and Grisha felt his heart stop.

The news tagline read: 'San Francisco under Attack.'

The gathered scientists stood in shocked silence as clips played on the screen before them. Parts of the city were ablaze, towering buildings lay in ruins, and smoke filled the air. Perhaps the most surreal sight, however, was the Golden Gate Bridge – the majority of the iconic structure now rested, in pieces, in the bay below.

Grisha ran out of the room and into the hallway, pulling out his cellphone as he did so. Dialing his wife's cell, he received an error message. Service was apparently unavailable. He tried their home phone. It was unable to connect.

He fought back tears as he glanced back at the chaos on the screen of the conference room. Another tagline had appeared, reading 'Titanic Creature Responsible.' Dr. Yeager would probably not have believed the report if it weren't for the new clip showing a massive gray form moving through the city, unearthly screams echoing as missiles exploded against its hide.

His hands clenched into fists as the first of his tears fell from his green eyes. _'Eren! Carla! I pray for your safety…'_

* * *

***Disclaimer**: I also do not own _Bugs Bunny _or _Tom and Jerry_. And they really are classics.

**A/N** – I don't really have any reason for Hannes' first name, 'Alex' just kind of came to me and seemed, at least to me, oddly fitting. As for Hannes' wife, 'Lisa' also just kind of appeared in my mind and I used it. While I know in canon Grisha was a medical doctor and saved Shingashina from a disease some years prior to the start of the series, including Hannes' wife, I had decided to make Grisha an engineer (leading up to his idea and participation in the Jaeger Program).

To that end, I made Carla a medical doctor and had her be the one to save Hannes' wife. For some reason, I picture Hannes' wife was in a car accident and Carla was the ER doctor who saved her. And keeping with canon, Hannes feels as though he is indebted to Carla (and after her death, to the Yeagers).

I also included nods in this chapter to How It Should Have Ended (HISHE)'s "How Saw Should Have Ended" (the 'Boggle' comment; I realized how similar it was to the actual line after writing it, so I changed it to give it true recognition) and takahata101's/Team Four Star's "Attack on Titan Abridged – Episode 1" (Hannes' 'Nope' freak-out).

I hope Eren's temper and argument with his mother were reasonable enough. I just needed something that a temperamental eight year-old would feel they'd be ready for, but were denied by their parents. And a violent TV-show seemed like it would be appropriate. And _Attack on Titan_ easily fit that bill.

So the next chapter will be a bit of Eren and Armin backstory once their relatives begin working for the PPDC. Chronologically speaking, that's what comes next regarding major events in this story. Then Mikasa's chapter will follow that, after which comes a backstory of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa all together, followed by training time!

As always, thanks for reading! And if you'd like and have the time, feel free to review!


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